Gallery Late – ''Playing Hooky'' by Polina Smirnova

Cut Art presents “Playing Hooky”, a solo exhibition by Polina Smirnova, on view from 30 April in Riga. Polina Smirnova’s paintings appear as fervid visions: a mass of technicolour bodies, or horizons that merge with the apparition of a face. “Playing Hooky” takes its title from the colloquial phrase for being truant from school. Extended as a metaphor in the exhibition, “Playing Hooky” is a way of bearing witness to moments of tension in everyday life. Smirnova depicts scenes of common experience — a sunset bike ride, a day at the beach or revelry at a party, finding within them surreal moments of emotional intensity. Feeling overspills like paint, eluding control and shifting in real time. In “Playing Hooky”, Smirnova’s paintings explore the coexistence of both euphoria and melancholia, treating them as equal modes of heightened experience.

Artist: Polina Smirnova

Curator: Anna Moss

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About gallery

CUT ART is a contemporary art gallery located in Riga, Latvia. It represents both Latvian and international artists, collaborating with renowned names such as David Lynch and Robert Whitman, as well as emerging talents. The gallery actively supports young artists, playing a significant role in their professional development. By participating in international art fairs across the United States, Mexico, Asia, and Europe, CUT ART is rapidly expanding its presence in the global art market.